Michelin-starred chefs share 7 easy rotisserie chicken recipes (2024)

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A panzanella salad with rotisserie chicken will definitely get you in the mood for spring.

Chris Morgan, who runs Bammy's in Washington, DC, loves pairing his panzanella salad with homemade croutons and a romesco vinaigrette.

"I love simply roasted chicken," he told Insider. "When executed properly, I find few things are more delicious. Fresh croutons are the best, and the contrast of warm croutons to a cold salad to hot rotisserie chicken is hard to beat."

To make Morgan's panzanella salad, you'll need: 2 ripe tomatoes, 1 red onion (julienned), day-old sourdough bread for your croutons, and some mixed greens, along with the rotisserie chicken.

Morgan starts this recipe by making the croutons. First, tear your sourdough into pieces and lightly fry them in olive oil until they turn golden brown. Drain them on a plate lined with a paper towel and season them with salt.

"If you don't have sourdough, you can substitute with a day-old baguette or French bread," Morgan said. "Day-old bread, or just stale bread, works best to achieve the proper texture."

To make Morgan's vinaigrette, you'll need: 1 can of roasted piquillo peppers, 2 red peppers (roasted, seeds removed), 2 cloves of garlic, ¾ cup of almonds, 1 ½ cups of olive oil, 4 tablespoons of sherry vinegar, 1 ½ tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika.

First, warm your olive oil in a pan over medium heat, then add the almonds and cook for 10 minutes, until they're lightly roasted. Set the almonds aside and let them cool for 20 minutes.

Blend your peppers until they're smooth, then add the almonds and garlic and blend again. Throw in your lemon juice, sherry vinegar, and smoked paprika and purée the mixture. Add the olive oil and season with salt to taste.

Then all you have to do is throw your mixed greens into a bowl with the rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, and your fresh croutons — which should still be warm. Toss it all together with that romesco vinaigrette and enjoy!

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Or use your leftovers to make a comforting plate of chicken and biscuits.

Andrew Zimmerman, the executive chef of Sepia in Chicago, told Insider that this is one of his favorite meals to make with leftover roast chicken.

"The smart thing to do is take all the meat off the chicken," he said. "Usually the skin isn't very appetizing to eat —it's not crispy anymore because it's been sitting around."

First, Zimmerman takes all the skin and bones and throws them in a pot to make a quick stock, adding some cream and a little roux.

Then he strains the bones out and adds vegetables like carrots, onions, and peas.

"You can put that over some nice biscuits and it solves one of the problems of the rotisserie chicken, which is the breast tends to be a little dry," Zimmerman said. "The cream sauce solves that problem."

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Rotisserie chicken also pairs great with a tortilla soup.

As with his chicken and biscuits, Zimmerman uses the carcass of the rotisserie chicken to make a stock for his tortilla soup.

"Season that stock with oregano, onions, and I would say that a super smart move here would be to use a little chipotle chilies and adobo," he said. "You can have those in your pantry forever. It's a smoky, sweet, spicy flavor that elevates your soup."

Purée your chilies and adobo and add the mixture to the soup, along with some diced avocado, your chicken meat, baked black beans, corn, cilantro, lime, and lightly-crushed corn tortillas.

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You can make an impressive chicken pot pie using your leftovers with just 10 minutes of prep.

Curtis Stone, who runs Maude and Gwen in Los Angeles, recommends using this pie recipe with rotisserie chicken to save time and effort.

"You can put just about anything in a pot pie," he told Insider. "I have found that root vegetables hold up well during baking, and they add a layer of sweet, comforting flavor."

To make Stone's chicken pot pie for six, you'll need: 1 pound roasted chicken (torn into large bite-size pieces), 1 sheet frozen all-butter puff pastry (thawed but still well-chilled), 1 ¾ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, ¾ cup of heavy cream, ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon of whole milk, 1 large egg, 2 carrots (sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds), 2 parsnips (peeled, sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds), 1 turnip (peeled, cut into ½-inch pieces), 1 yellow onion (finely chopped), 1 celery rib (thinly sliced), 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped), 3 large sprigs of fresh thyme, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter.

To start, melt your butter in a 12-inch cast-iron pan or another heavy, oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add your onions, celery, carrots, parsnips, turnips, garlic, and cook — stirring occasionally — for about 10 minutes, until the root vegetables are almost tender.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir well for about one minute to cook, but make sure it doesn't brown. Then raise the heat to medium-high and stir in the chicken broth, followed by the ¾ cup of milk, the cream, and the thyme.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and let your mixture simmer gently, stirring occasionally for about five minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Remove your pan from the heat and stir in the chicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let it cool slightly, then remove the thyme stems.

In a small bowl, mix the egg and remaining tablespoon of milk with a fork to combine. Then, on a lightly floured surface, roll out your pastry into a 13-inch square.

Brush some of the egg mixture over the edges of the skillet and lay the pastry over the pan, gently pressing so that the pastry sticks to the sides. Lightly brush more of the egg mixture over the pastry and sprinkle with salt.

Transfer your pan to the oven and bake for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, until the pastry is a deep golden-brown and has puffed. Cool slightly and serve.

Pro tip: You can also make your chicken and vegetable filling six hours ahead. Just make sure to let it cool, then cover and refrigerate it.

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Leftover rotisserie chicken also goes perfectly with homemade chicken noodle soup.

Brad Carter, of Carters of Moseley in Birmingham, England, recommends pairing your chicken with ramen noodles to make this soup.

First, warm up some chicken broth in a pot, then add veggies like bean sprouts, sweet corn, cabbage, and peas.

"Then add noodles to the hot broth and veggies, take your rotisserie chicken and slice it off the bone and cut the breast into thin strips," Carter told Insider. "Maybe flake some of the leg meat into the broth as well."

Carter also recommends adding a soft-boiled egg to the mix. He recommends cooking it for six minutes and then letting it sit in soy sauce for two to three hours (just make sure to peel it first).

"Then just cut the egg in half and serve with the soup and chicken sliced on top," he added.

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If you want a great side dish for your rotisserie chicken, you can never go wrong with potatoes.

George Mendes, who was the executive chef of now-shuttered Aldea in Manhattan, told Insider that he loves pairing rotisserie chicken with some Yukon gold potatoes.

"Roast some Yukon gold potatoes with a few cloves of garlic, olive oil, paprika, and dried oregano in a 425 degree Fahrenheit oven until they're golden brown," he said. "Carve the rotisserie chicken and place the meat directly on top of the potatoes."

"Drizzle some extra olive oil over everything and a few sprinkles of coarse sea salt," Mendes said. "To me, there's nothing more satisfying than roast chicken with potatoes. Simple!"

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Or have a bowl of chicken coconut soup that will definitely soothe the soul.

Beverly Kim, who runs Parachute in Chicago, told Insider that this soup is packed with rich, comforting flavors.

"I love the aromatics of this dish," she said. "It hits many parts of the palate in a very satisfying way."

To make the stock for the soup, you'll need: 3 cans of coconut milk, 6 cloves of garlic (crushed), 1 onion (sliced), 3 lemongrass stalks, and some sliced ginger.

First, sauté your ginger, garlic, onion, and lemongrass stalks, deglazing with 1 cup of white wine. Then add your coconut milk and 2 cups of water to cover. Bring your stock to a boil, then let it simmer for two hours.

Strain your stock, then sauté 1 onion (sliced), 2 large carrots (sliced), 1 tablespoon minced ginger, and ½ tablespoon of garlic. Add your stock, along with some chilies if you want a little spice. Simmer the mixture until the carrots have softened. Add 1 pack of sliced button mushrooms in the last few minutes, as well as your shredded rotisserie chicken meat.

Season to taste with fish sauce and a touch of salt. Kim also recommends garnishing the soup with chopped cilantro, sliced scallions, lime wedges, and chili paste, and serving it with jasmine rice.